Chapter 15: Chen Gangpao

Chapter 15: Chen Gangpao

"As long as I've got meat on my plate, you'll get some soup in your bowl."

Chen Shuoan stroked its head affectionately.

Zheng Yuanzhi let out a light chuckle and said, "Might as well just hand it a turd, that'd be more useful."

"..." Li Wei was genuinely worried Zheng Yuanzhi might get himself hurt again.

Chen Shuoan took a deep breath and ultimately decided not to pick a fight with Zheng Yuanzhi. He turned to Zhang Chenggong and said, "Fetch me a bowl of goat's milk."

Zhang Chenggong asked, puzzled, "Why goat's milk?"

Chen Shuoan sneered, "What, you gonna breastfeed it yourself?"

"..." Li Wei was now seriously concerned Chen Shuoan might get clocked.

Fortunately, Zhang Chenggong didn't pick a fight with Chen Shuoan either, and went off without complaint to find some milk.

Chen Shuoan couldn't help but silently belt out "Bro Hug" in his head to celebrate their unbreakable bond as a group of four.

Then he turned around and headed back to his room to wash his hands with soap.

By the time Li Wei had laid out a full table of breakfast, Chen Shuoan arrived late, with the dog in tow.

"What took you so long? Giving the dog a dental?" Zheng Yuanzhi picked up his chopsticks and shoveled food into his mouth.

Chen Shuoan had to admit—not even a busted hand could slow Zheng Yuanzhi's eating for a single second.

"Didn't brush. Come on, say hi—these are all your dads now."

Chen Shuoan picked up the puppy's little paw and waved it around, blew a kiss to each of them with its little paw.

"So what's its name?"

Zheng Yuanzhi looked at it with a troubled expression.

Chen Shuoan had always had a knack for naming things.

He said seriously, "Look, its head is black and its body is white. Let's name it Gangpao."

Li Wei said flatly, "Wait, what's Gangpao got to do with the dog's color?"

Chen Shuoan frowned, dismissing his logic.

"How's it unrelated? Gangpao's its name now. What more connection do you need?"

"That's an ugly name. You've got no taste." Li Wei was a born contrarian, dead set on fighting for this pup's right to a decent name.

Chen Shuoan didn't give a damn and shut it down: "This is my dog."

Li Wei slunk off and buried his head in his meal.

You can't wake someone who's pretending to be asleep.

Zhang Chenggong sat back and enjoyed the show.

But Zhang the master rarely spoke—and when he did, it was always a mic drop.

He wiped his oily mouth with a handkerchief and slowly asked, "So is this dog a boy or a girl?"

Li Wei quickly scooped the puppy out of Chen Shuoan's hands to check. The cafeteria fell silent that morning.

Zheng Yuanzhi leaned in to look. Make that two people silent.

Chen Shuoan was baffled by their reaction.

He squinted, looked closer, and it hit him.

"Hahahaha, Gangpao sounds so dainty and classy—perfect for our little lady." Li Wei was about to bust a gut trying not to laugh.

Zheng Yuanzhi was tearing up, clapping in applause.

Instead of being embarrassed by their teasing, Chen Shuoan wore it like a badge of pride: "What a great name. Little Chen Gangpao, your grandpa's gonna love you."

Poor Chen Jingxian—minding his own business at home when trouble dropped out of nowhere. His son wasn't even married yet, and suddenly he had a granddaughter named Gangpao.

Chen Shuoan hadn't had a second to himself these past few days. He had to help His Highness the Sixth Prince apply medicine and change bandages, while also keeping an eye out so Gangpao didn't eat its own crap. It was a full-time job.

And Gangpao absolutely loved sticking to Chen Shuoan like glue.

Yuan Rang watched Gangpao chase her tail in circles while Chen Shuoan laughed nearby, and his gaze softened.

He couldn't help but warm up to the dog, thinking Chen Gangpao wasn't so ugly she was beyond saving.

But that thought vanished the second Chen Gangpao wrapped her mouth around Chen Shuoan's index finger and started sucking.

Yuan Rang thought, his face completely blank.

He was going to rip every last hair off this beast.

He shot up, crossed the room in one stride, grabbed the dog by the scruff, and tossed it onto the floor mat.

When the dog's black mouth let go of the finger, it made a "pop" sound.

At the sound, Yuan Rang's face went dark with jealousy, and he started lying through his teeth without missing a beat: "It just did something nasty. Go wash your hands."

His Highness the Sixth Prince was far too dignified to say the actual words out loud.

Chen Shuoan's eyes met Yuan Rang's, and it clicked instantly.

"Are you kidding me?! The second I look away, she's at it again!"

Chen Shuoan was grinding his teeth in fury. In the short time he'd stepped out to get water, Chen Gangpao had pulled a fast one and pulled off this crime flawlessly!

Yuan Rang hauled him up off the ground, grabbed his hand, and made a beeline for the washbasin.

Chen Shuoan was stunned, yanking hard to pull his hand free.

He said meekly, "Your Highness, this hand was licked by Gangpao..."

Yuan Rang turned around, putting on a sincere face: "Oh, really? I forgot. Then we'll wash them together."

Yuan Rang took Chen Shuoan's hand, put it in the basin, and covered it with his own.

Chen Shuoan admired the hand over his—with those long, clean knuckles—and said enviously, "With a frame like yours, Your Highness, you're gonna be tall and strong."

Yuan Rang just smiled and said nothing, lathering soap over Chen Shuoan's hand until the skin went red.

Chen Gangpao was saddled with a huge burden, unaware it had nearly been plucked bald moments ago. After being tossed to the ground, he let out a few insincere yelps, and when no one paid him any mind, he whimpered and slunk off into a corner.

Money's hard to come by these days, but... crap's still doable.

————

Today was the day of the hunting grounds competition, and Chen Shuoan and the others had to go check it out.

They'd barely arrived when Chen Shuoan got blocked by Qin Zhonglian.

Qin Zhonglian had spent the past few days psyching himself up, realizing that Chen Shuoan truly seemed different from before, and had resolved to approach him to break the ice.

Seeing this burly figure blocking his path, his face hidden in the backlight, Chen Shuoan couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear.

What the heck is this? I haven't bullied anyone since I got here, so you've got no reason to block me like this!

But then Qin Zhonglian, all tsundere, said: "Even though I shot more prey than you at the hunting grounds, and by our deal, you lost, I don't think you're a bad guy, so..."

Chen Shuoan squinted his doe eyes, assuming this was a provocation, and tried hard to remember what went down that day before confidently replying, "I never agreed to compete with you."

Qin Zhonglian froze, thinking hard.

"Heh, does the Duke of State Stabilization know his son is out there calling random people 'dad' every day?"

"Heh..."

"Heh..."

Those two words echoed in Qin Zhonglian's mind on repeat, like they were mocking him for being so sentimental.

This little punk really never agreed!

Qin Zhonglian's face went pale with rage, feeling like all his agonizing had been a total joke.

So he turned around, eager to get the hell out of there.

Meanwhile, Chen Shuoan had already pieced it together, guessing that his own heroic performance a few days ago had moved Qin Zhonglian.

Sticking to the principle of never giving up on anyone, with the former villain, male lead #3, coming to him to patch things up, Chen Shuoan would be a fool not to accept.

Fewer enemies, longer life—win over male lead #3 and become brothers.

Chen Shuoan hurried after him, slinging an arm around Qin Zhonglian's shoulder like old pals, and said flatteringly, "Brother Qin, can't take a little joke? There's a competition coming up, right? I'll be yelling my head off cheering for you."

Hearing this, Qin Zhonglian was instantly appeased. He tilted his head with a proud air, grudgingly grunted in agreement.

Chen Shuoan

smiled.

I already beat up the original owner, so you can't lay a hand on me now.